Discover 6 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Wenatchee (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center, Senator George Sellar Bridge, and Rocky Reach Dam. Also, be sure to include Wenatchee Fire Station No. 1 in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Wenatchee (Washington).
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Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center
The Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center is a museum in Wenatchee, Washington that houses local and regional history, Native American heritage, and the propeller used in the first trans-Pacific flight.
Founded in 1939 by the Columbia River Archaeological Society the museum, housed in two historic buildings, contains three floors of displays interpreting life along the Columbia River in Eastern Washington. WVMCC hosts a variety of special events and family programs throughout the year.[1]
Address: 127 S Mission St, 98801-3039 Wenatchee
Senator George Sellar Bridge
Bridge in Washington State. The Senator George Sellar Bridge at Wenatchee, Washington was built in 1950 as the "Columbia River Bridge" to carry U.S. Route 2 across the Columbia River.
The steel suspended tied-arch bridge has a main span of 480 feet (150 m) with 224-foot (68 m) anchor arms. The suspended portion of roadway comprises 352 feet (107 m) and is 54 feet (16 m) wide, carrying five lanes (originally four) with a median divider strip at a height of 180 feet (55 m) above mean water level. The new bridge was recognized by the American Institute of Steel Construction as the most beautiful bridge of 1950 for spans over 400 feet (120 m) in length. The bridge's engineer was R. W. Finke. The contractor was the General Construction Company of Seattle, using steel fabricated by the American Bridge Company. The bridge rests on two concrete piers in the river, with the central arch between them, and cantilever spans extending to concrete abutments high on the riverbanks.
The bridge was renamed in 2000 after George L. Sellar, a Washington state senator who died that year. Since then, the name "Columbia River Bridge" refers to the older bridge (built in 1908) nearby. Senator George Sellar Bridge carries Washington State Route 285 since the construction of the Richard Odabashian Bridge for Route 2 farther north. An additional lane was added in 2009–2010. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 24, 1995.[2]
Rocky Reach Dam
Rocky Reach Dam is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric dam in the U.S. state of Washington owned and operated by Chelan County Public Utility District. It has 11 generators rated in total 1300 MW. The project is on the Columbia River in north central Washington state about seven miles upstream from the city of Wenatchee. The dam is 473 miles above the mouth of the Columbia. The reservoir impounded by the dam is Lake Entiat. The project provides energy for more than 7 million people throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Rocky Reach is nationally recognized for efforts to protect the environment. A first-of-its-kind juvenile fish bypass system was completed in 2003 to help young salmon and steelhead on their way to the ocean. A major powerhouse upgrade started in 1995 includes new turbines that are more fish friendly. Improvements to turbines and generators are also designed to improve efficiency and reliability.[3]
Wenatchee Fire Station No. 1
The Wenatchee Fire Station No. 1, at 136 S. Chelan Ave. in Wenatchee, Washington, was built in 1929. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 as Wenatchee Fire Station #1.
It is significant as a work of architect Ludwig O. Solberg. It includes a five-story tower, which serves both as a hose tower and as a firefighting training tower.
According to its NRHP nomination, "The building's symmetry and classical detailing play heavily upon the Beaux Arts styling, while the hose tower/practice tower owes it design influence to a Gothic church steeple."[4]
Downtown Wenatchee Historic District
The Downtown Wenatchee Historic District, located in Wenatchee, Washington, is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district, encompassing 34 acres, is a collection of commercial, mixed-used, and warehouse buildings located in the central business district of Wenatchee downtown. It contains a total of 57 contributing and 32 noncontributing properties.
The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. The Old Post Office Building and the Old Post Office Annex had also been previously listed in the National Register as a single individual property in 1977.[5]
Wenatchee Valley College
Community college in Wenatchee, Washington. Wenatchee Valley College is a public community college in Wenatchee, Washington. The college provides students with adult education classes, certifications, associate degrees, and one bachelor's degree. WVC's primary service district is one of the largest in the state, serving an area larger than Massachusetts, at more than 10,000 square miles.
The school consists of two campuses, a main campus in central Wenatchee and an Omak campus. Because of the close proximity to area high schools, WVC maintains a sizable Running Start student population, with students attending college during the junior and senior years in high school.[6]
Address: 1300 5th St, Wenatchee